WAX-INFUSED ADHESIVE FRICTION TAPE

RUBAN ADHESIF IMPREGNE DE CIRE

English Abstract

A friction tape (2) comprising a fabric substrate having an adhesive layer (6) infused on a first surface and a wax layer (4) infused on an opposing second surface, the wax layer including a tackifier resin. The adhesive may also form an external adhesive layer (10) on the first surface and the wax may also form an external wax layer (8) on the second opposing surface. The friction tape is used to improve grip on sports implements, especially during activities which may expose the tape to moisture, cold temperatures, ice, and other harsh conditions. The tape will easily adhere to itself when in a rolled position prior to use or when overlapped while in use.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne un ruban adhésif (2) comprenant un substrat textile dont une première surface est imprégnée d'une couche adhésive (6) et dont une seconde surface opposée est imprégnée d'une couche de cire (4), la couche de cire comprenant une résine donnant du collant. L'adhésif peut également former une couche adhésive externe (10) sur la première surface et la cire peut également former une couche de cire externe (8) sur la seconde surface opposée. Le ruban adhésif est utilisé pour améliorer la prise sur des accessoires de sport, en particulier pendant des activités qui peuvent exposer le ruban à l'humidité, à des températures basses, à de la glace et autres conditions difficiles. Le ruban adhérera facilement à lui-même lorsqu'il sera en position enroulée avant utilisation ou lorsqu'il se superposera en utilisation.

Claims

Claims
1. A friction tape comprising a fabric substrate having first and second
opposing
surfaces, an adhesive infusion layer applied to the first surface, and a wax
infusion layer applied to the second surface.
2. The friction tape of claim 1, wherein the fabric substrate is manufactured
of a
fabric selected from the group of fabrics comprising cotton, polyester, cotton-
polyester blend, rayon, nylon, acrylic, flax, hemp, and bamboo.
3. The friction tape of claim 1, wherein the wax infusion layer comprises a
mixture
of wax and a tackifier resin.
4. The friction tape of claim 3, wherein the tackifier resin is selected from
the group
of tackifier resins comprising rosins, rosin derivatives, terpenes, modified
terpenes, aliphatic resins, cycloaliphatic resins, aromatic resins,
hydrogenated
hydrocarbon resins, and terpene-phenol resins.
5. The friction tape of claim 1 having a thickness of between 0.5 and 2.5 mm.
6. The friction tape of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive
adhesive.
7. The friction tape of claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of
between 0.0001 and 1.5 mm.
8. The friction tape of claim 1 wherein the wax layer has a thickness of
between
0.0001 and 1.0 mm.
6

9. A method of manufacturing a friction tape, comprising the steps of:
a. immersing a first surface of the tape in a bath of adhesive to allow the
adhesive to be absorbed into the first surface to a desired depth;
b. allowing the adhesive infused tape to dry;
c. immersing a second opposing surface of the tape in a bath of wax to allow
wax to be absorbed into the second surface to a desired depth; and
d. allowing the adhesive and wax infused tape to dry.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising after step (a) the additional
step (a.1)
of applying a layer of adhesive on the first surface to a desired thickness.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising after step (c) the additional
step (c.1)
of applying a layer of wax on the second surface to a desired thickness.
12.The method of claim 10, further comprising after step (c) the additional
step (c.1)
of applying a layer of wax on the second surface to a desired thickness.
13.The method of claim 9, wherein the wax comprises a mixture of wax and
tackifier
resin.
14.The method of claim 12, wherein the wax comprises a mixture of wax and
tackifier resin.
15.The method of claim 13, where the tackifier resin is selected from the
group of
tackifier resins comprising rosins, rosin derivatives, terpenes, modified
terpenes,
aliphatic resins, cycloaliphatic resins, aromatic resins, hydrogenated
hydrocarbon
resins, and terpene-phenol resins.
16. The method of claim 14, where the tackifier resin is selected from the
group of
tackifier resins comprising rosins, rosin derivatives, terpenes, modified
terpenes,
aliphatic resins, cycloaliphatic resins, aromatic resins, hydrogenated
hydrocarbon
resins, and terpene-phenol resins.
7

17. Use of the friction tape of claim 1 for wrapping around the handle of a
sports
implement selected from the group of sports implements comprising ice hockey
sticks, grass hockey sticks, floor hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, golf clubs,
tennis
racquets, squash racquets, racquetball racquets, badminton racquets, handball
racquets, cricket bats, baseball bats, javelins, pole vault poles, ski poles,
table
tennis racquets, billiards cues, croquet mallets, polo mallets, and bicycle
handlebars.
a

Description

CA 02896161 2015-06-22
WO 2013/091079
PCT/CA2012/001183
Wax-Infused Adhesive Friction Tape
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to adhesive tapes. In particular, the present
invention
relates to friction tapes for use in sporting activities, in particular ice
hockey.
Background of the Invention
It is known to provide cloth-based friction tapes for use in improving
gripping of sports
equipment. Such prior art tapes may have a rubber adhesive infused on one
side. A
disadvantage of such prior art tapes is the absence of any component to
protect the
cloth from the outside elements it may come into contact with during sporting
or other
activities. Exposure of the tape to such elements, including water, ice, cold,
and
friction, reduces the durability of the friction tape, as well as reducing its
adhesive
properties. The device of the present invention addresses these shortcomings
in the
prior art by providing an improved friction tape.
Brief Description of the Drawings
A detailed description of the preferred embodiments is provided by way of
example only
and with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the fabric tape of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the fabric tape of the present invention
wrapped
around a hockey stick, according to one embodiment of the invention; and
Fig. 3 is a schematic showing the method of tape preparation of the present
invention.
1

CA 02896161 2015-06-22
WO 2013/091079
PCT/CA2012/001183
In the drawings, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of
example. It is
to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the
purpose
of illustration and as an aid to understanding, which are not intended as a
definition of
the limits of the invention.
Summary of the Invention
There is provided a friction tape comprising a fabric substrate having first
and second
opposing surfaces, an adhesive infusion layer applied to the first surface,
and a wax
infusion layer applied to the second surface. The
fabric substrate may be
manufactured of a fabric selected from the group of fabrics comprising cotton,
polyester, cotton-polyester blend, rayon, nylon, acrylic, flax, hemp, and
bamboo.
The wax infusion layer may be a mixture of wax and a tackifier resin. The
tackifier resin
may be selected from the group of tackifier resins comprising rosins, rosin
derivatives,
terpenes, modified terpenes, aliphatic resins, cycloaliphatic resins, aromatic
resins,
hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins, and terpene-phenol resins. The adhesive isa
pressure-sensitive adhesive.
The friction tape may have a thickness of between 1.0 to 2.5 mm. The adhesive
layer
may have a thickness of between 0.0001 and 1.5 mm. The wax layer may have a
thickness of between 0.0001 and 1.0 mm.
There is further provided a method of manufacturing a friction tape,
comprising the
steps of immersing a first surface of the tape in a bath of adhesive to allow
the adhesive
to be absorbed into the first surface to a desired depth; allowing the
adhesive infused
tape to dry; immersing a second opposing surface of the tape in a bath of wax
to allow
wax to be absorbed into the second surface to a desired depth; and allowing
the
adhesive and wax infused tape to dry.
2

CA 02896161 2015-06-22
WO 2013/091079
PCT/CA2012/001183
After infusion of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a layer of adhesive
may be
applied to the first surface to a desired thickness.
After infusion of the wax layer, a layer of wax may be applied on the second
surface to
a desired thickness. The wax layer may comprise a mixture of wax and tackifier
resin.
There is further provided a method of use of the friction tape of the
invention for
wrapping around the handle of a sports implement selected from the group of
sports
implements comprising ice hockey sticks, grass hockey sticks, floor hockey
sticks,
lacrosse sticks, golf clubs, tennis racquets, squash racquets, racquetball
racquets,
badminton racquets, handball racquets, cricket bats, baseball bats, javelins,
pole vault
in poles, ski poles, table tennis racquets, billiards cues, croquet
mallets, polo mallets, and
bicycle handlebars.
Detailed Description of the Invention
There is provided a friction tape for use by athletes and others participating
in sporting
activities using handheld equipment. In such activities, the user is required
to maintain
a firm grip on an item of sporting equipment. For example, a hockey player is
required
to have a firm grasp of a hockey stick, and a baseball player must firmly hold
a baseball
bat.
As depicted in Fig. 1, the device of the present invention is a cloth friction
tape 2
infused on a first side with a wax 4, and infused on a second opposing side
with a
pressure sensitive adhesive 6. The wax may also form an external wax layer 8
on the
first side, and the adhesive an external adhesive layer 10 on the second side.
Preferably, the cloth is manufactured of cotton, or a cotton-polyester blend,
although
other fabrics and materials are within the scope of the invention. Preferably,
the
adhesive is rubber-based. Other adhesive materials may also be used.
Preferably, the cloth will be deeply infused with the wax, to at least half
its thickness,
and an external layer of wax of between 0.0001 mm and 1.000 mm is applied to
the
outer side of the tape. Infusion of the wax permits the wax to have a stronger
bond to
3

CA 02896161 2015-06-22
WO 2013/091079
PCT/CA2012/001183
the cloth tape, preventing flaking of the wax from the cloth. By infusing the
wax into the
cloth, the tape presents a strong lower adhesive surface to apply to the
object being
taped, or to another layer of tape when rolled or when the tape overlaps
itself on the
object.
In a preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, a
microcrystalline wax
is infused into the cloth tape. Microcrystalline waxes provide are adhesive,
soft and
flexible. Microcrystalline wax provides a stronger bond due to a higher
resiliency,
flexibility and a finer crystal structure than other waxes such as paraffin.
However,
other waxes, as they also repel ice and water, are also understood to be
within the
scope of the invention.
Microcrystalline wax remains tacky at the temperatures experienced during
common
sporting activities. This tackiness allows the tape to adhere well to itself
and also
provides a better grip for the user.
In one embodiment, a tackifier resin or adhesive may be used as an additive to
the wax
infusion to increase the adhesive properties of the outer surface of the tape.
When
tape is rolled prior to use, or overlapped when in use, this increased
adhesion permits
the tape to remain in place on the roll or wrapped around the sports equipment
handle
or other surface. The presence of a tackifier resin in the wax also increases
the friction
between the outer surface of the tape and a user's hand during use of sports
zo equipment bearing the friction tape.
Examples of tackifier resins which may be added to the wax may include rosins
and
derivatives, terpenes and modified terpenes, aliphatic resins, cycloaliphatic
resins, and
aromatic resins, hydrogenated hydrocarbon resins, and terpene-phenol resins.
In a
preferred embodiment, MICROSEREe 5792 (a trademark of The International Group,
Inc.), a wax containing a tackifier resin, is used as the wax layer of the
invention.
In a preferred embodiment, a desired fragrance may be incorporated into the
wax for
aesthetic reasons.
4

CA 02896161 2015-06-22
WO 2013/091079
PCT/CA2012/001183
In operation, the friction tape of the present invention may be used primarily
by athletes,
for example hockey and baseball players, for increasing grip on their
equipment and for
protection = of their equipment. Infusion of wax into the cloth base of the
friction tape
creates a barrier between the cloth and the elements it may come into contact
with,
such as ice, snow, and water. Fig. 2 depicts the tape 12 of the present
invention
wrapped around a hockey stick handle 14. The tape may also be applied to other
sports implements.
In a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention as depicted
schematically in
Fig. 3, a cloth bolt is sent through a series of rollers in a Calendar
machine. First a
pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to a first side of the cloth and the
cloth is rolled.
This process results in a strong bond between the cloth and the adhesive.
Next, the
resulting pressure sensitive adhesive tape is unrolled and a wax is applied to
a second
side. The wax is infused into the cloth in a molten form to ensure complete
infusion
resulting in an effective product.
The tape is then cooled, run through a slitter, and rolled again prior to
packaging for
distribution. While in the preferred embodiment the adhesive is applied prior
to the
wax, it is also within the scope of the invention to apply the wax prior to
applying the
pressure sensitive adhesive.
The wax infusion also protects the bond between the adhesive and the object to
which
the tape has been applied. The wax functions as a sealant which prevents the
friction
tape from drying out and losing its adhesive properties. The present invention
helps to
eliminate snow and ice build-up on equipment, which may occur while playing
hockey.
Such build-up presents a problem in hockey as the resulting irregular surfaces
on the
equipment caused by ice and snow negatively affects athlete performance. A
further
benefit of the wax infusion is added durability as a result of the barrier
created between
the cloth tape and the snow, ice, water, or other elements that the tape may
come into
contact with.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other variations of
the preferred
embodiment may also be practiced without departing from the scope of the
invention.
5

Representative Drawing